Turkey extends post-coup state of emergency

Turkey extends post-coup state of emergency

Turkey extends post-coup state of emergency

Jan. 18, 2018

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey's parliament has extended for a sixth time the state of emergency that was imposed in the wake of a 2016 failed coup attempt.

Legislators on Thursday voted to approve a government motion to prolong the state of emergency by a further three months, until April 19.

The emergency powers have allowed the government to rule through decrees, often by-passing parliament, and to launch a massive crackdown against people suspected of links to coup-plotters or terror groups.

Since then, some 50,000 people have been arrested and more than 110,000 people dismissed from public sectors jobs.

Critics accuse the government of misusing its emergency powers to go after all opponents, including journalists, activists and politicians.

The government says the emergency powers are needed to deal with ongoing security threats.